Thomas bell



THOMAS BELL, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

RIG- FOR VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,090, dated May 24, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS BELL, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and Improved Rig for Vessels; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming partof this specification, said drawing representing a perspective view of avessel with my improved rig. 3

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, is what I term the mast bench consisting of a single round stick oftimber or built of several pieces in the ordinary manner of built masts,said bench being stepped into the keelson of the vessel in about theposition ordinarily occupied by the mast and supported above by partnerslike the mast partners commonly employed and being when necessaryfurther supported by shroud- This mast bench extends above thedeck butlittle more than one sixth of the ing.

est and most permanent manner. The curve of the spar may be that of anarc described with a radius equal to or greater than the length of themast and should be concentric to a point in line with the mast. The mastis connected at a point equal to about one sixth of its length from thebottom with the mast bench, by a pin a, upon which it is capable ofworking freely, the bench being made to extend up each side of theexterior of the mast, as represented in the drawing or to extend upthrough its interior. The axis of the mast bench coincides with a planepassing through the centers of the mast and boom, and the axis of thepin a, is perpendicular to the axis of the mast bench and plane of themast and boom. The movement permitted to the mast and boom on the oriron rods extending from the mast head to the extremities and such otherparts of the yard as may be considered desirable.

The mast may be fitted with additional spars above the bottom spar B,said spars 5 being diminished in length according to their distance fromthe bottom of the mast.

The mast and yard may be fitted with a single sail which may be reducedby lowering and reefing to the yard, or separate sails may be appliedbetween the spars when more than one are used, and may be reduced in asimilar manner. Or there may be a separate sail between every two stays,the sails being fitted to the stays with rings or hanks and sail beingshortened by lowering any of these separate sails, without reefing, andfurling them to the boom or booms. The mast and yard applied in thismanner allow the sail to be set at various angles to the length of thevessel according as the course of the vessel is more or less before thewind or on the wind, by turning them by means of braces and tacklesapplied to one or both ends of the boom or booms, and the greater theangles that the boom or booms form with the length of the vessel, andthe more the vessel, consequently, sails before the wind, the more rakehave the mast and sail and the greater is the tendency of the wind tolift the vessel.

The advantages of this rig are many, viz: it is cheaper, safer, givesincreased speed, and is more convenient. It is cheaper because itrequires much less material and labor to fit it, and the wear and tearis much less. It is safer because there is very little weight aloft andthat is thrown to windward by the wind, and at the same time as much ofthe weight below as is desired is thrown to windward by the same cause,and

- all the canvas is controlled more securely and quickly, therefore lessballast (which tends to sink the vessel) is required. It gives increasedspeed because all the canvas tends at all times to propel to thegreatest advantage, lifting instead of bearing down the vessel, therebyadding to the propelling force and diminishing the retarding power. Itis ,more convenient because not one fourth of the time or labor isnecessary to make or take in sail, and all things are so easilycontrolled that one man can manage a'vessel that with the ordinary rigwould require four.

Instead of being applied with the mast bench, as hereinabove described,the mast itself may be stepped into the keelson in such a manner as toturn therein, and have its lower part so bent that though the axis ofits motion in the said step it is inclined like the axis of the bench asdescribed, the part of the mast above the deck would be vertical .whilethe boom were placed fore and aft. In this case the mast would requireto be fitted to the deck in a frame like a gimbal, to permit it toassume the greater or less rake that would'take place as the boom wereset more or less athwart ship.

One or more masts with this rig may be applied in the same vessel.

WVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is,

The arrangement and combination of the mast C, spar B, and revolvingforked mast bench A substantially as and for the purpose herein shownand described.

A. R. MAIGHT.

